All i can say is that i have kept freshwater for nearly 20 years and marines on and off during this time. Marines were always my first love and the only reason i kept freshwater was as a poor substitute for a reef tank
The expense of marines compared to freshwater can be enormous and during this time i have stoppe dmany times because of cost or having other irritating diversions like raising a family
Once i was able to manage marines and their cost and also hahve the room for the size of tank to houe these magnificant beasts there was no going back. All my freshwater were given away to friends, my tanks were either given away or converted into sumps etc. Having had a tank of 1 variety or another in my living room/hallway for this time I have never once had a single person make a comment on how good the tank looked or even ask what type of fish were in there. Since having my marines (especially my tiny 40 gallon tank) it was the focal point of the room. Hardly anyone who came over to visit, even if it was their first time or regualr basis cuold not help but make a comment on how the tank looked and how difficult were they to keep
) I have friends who come over and now they bring their wives or girlfriends jst so they can sit in front the tank and spend a few hours watching the tiny life forms crawling over the live rock (Ah keeps em quiet
).
I simply adhore marines, they are vibrant, colourful, chellanging tanks to keep that are forever making you push the envelope in tryign to discover new things about this eco system. There is no question that the SW fish will outshine 90% of FW in colours alone, I know this is not everything, but it certainly goes a long way for me. What most people find amazing when they see my tanks are the inverts and corals. If i had £1 for each time they said "I love the plants in this tank, so very different from normal freshwater tanks"! i would be a rich man
I then have to explain that in fact there was probably only 1 or 2 types of plant in the tank, the rest of this system was an actualy living reef and it just blows em away!
If i can make a person leave my house equiped with a better understanding of marines (At the very least knowing a leather coral is an animal not a plant!) or better still, questioning themselves if they are actually up to the job of keeping these "seemingly impossible " tanks then i have a great sense of fullfiment that a freshwater tank can never give to me.
However...
Each person is an individual, they will enter or leave the hobby for many reasons as each perons looks for different things in the hobby. All i can say is that after such a short space of time you say that you are bored then Iadvise you to think long na dhard one last time and if you really feel you will not get any satisfacton out of them then give up.
Its not fair on the fish and not fair on you to keep somethign that you are not 100% behind.
Sadly many peopl elike yourself do leave the hobby after a few months for various rasons (usually money or maintance ) saying they kept marines and assume they now know alot about the hobby and even try to preach this to people. I have been in this hobby for 20 years wether its owning a tank or just researching and hoarding knowledge and i am proud to say that i only know a very small % of what is actually out there. Thisis a hobby that even after a lifetime you will never know everything.
If you were to really want my opinion though, rather than convince you to stay, Iwould advise you to quit as I am not sure that marines can offer you what you are looking for
)
